heavy metal

noun

1
: a metal of high specific gravity
2
: energetic and highly amplified electronic rock music having a hard beat
Borrowing elements of everything from grunge to progressive rock, from gospel to heavy metalDavid Okamoto

Examples of heavy metal in a Sentence

He listens to heavy metal. lead, gold, and other heavy metals
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Researchers from Peking University, the University of Cambridge, and partner institutions highlighted that glass is often used to immobilize contaminants such as radionuclides and heavy metals, locking them safely inside a stable structure. Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2025 Tokyo — For most of her life, Sanae Takaichi has loved heavy metal. Hanako Montgomery, CNN Money, 11 Oct. 2025 Sardines may be a nutrient-dense fish, but they’re also increasingly contaminated with microplastics3 and heavy metals like arsenic. Stephanie Brown, Verywell Health, 10 Oct. 2025 The regenerative alternative is free of lead, heavy metals, PFAS and formaldehyde—meeting compliance standards such as Prop 65, RoHS and Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Hazardous Chemicals (REACH). Alexandra Harrell, Sourcing Journal, 9 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for heavy metal

Word History

First Known Use

1864, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of heavy metal was in 1864

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Cite this Entry

“Heavy metal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heavy%20metal. Accessed 18 Oct. 2025.

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